The Queen and the Huntress
by FriedBaozi
Summary: The huntress was a woman who prided herself on being the mistress in the shadows. But when the forest guardian commanded her so, she felt her willpower crumble as easily as Gara shattering her Mass Vitrify. She stood defiantly for a few seconds more before shoulders sagged and she broke eye contact with Titania. "Be careful."


**A/N:** Both characters portrayed in this fanfic do not belong to me, but the wonderful developers of Warframe, Digital Extremes. After seeing an artist on Twitter do their renditions of certain frames together, I was struck with an incredible desire to write something to get my feels out and I officially ship Ivara x Titania (sorry Oberon, I love you but these two are just _mmph_.)

Rating: M for sexual content. Read at your own discretion.

* * *

This was no regular mission.

In fact, the trip to Earth felt more a "vacation" if you didn't count the vast number of troops stationed on its surface and the sickly green areas they inhabited. The commander was less-than-pleased by the plea for a few days' reprieve from the slew of deployments and missions, due to the fact she needed her for infiltration sorties. But when the huntress remembered the bullshit that happened a few days ago, her response was a flat out 'no' even though she wasn't the one who requested the break.

"Titania," she finally spat out, waving her hand over her head at the razorwings buzzing in front of her face and above her head. "Would you _please_ tell your damnable butterflies to sit still for two more seconds?" Light laughter filled the air along with her impatient fingers drumming on the surface of the navigation console.

"I cannot blame them for wanting to be free of this cramped space." Cramped space referring to the drop ship otherwise known as the 'Liset,' one of many variations of the agile craft. Ideally, it would be enough to hold an adult and a small child let alone two full grown women and some pesky flying insects. They couldn't complain when their commander gave them permission to use it given the fact other missions were still being conducted at their time of departure. "Tell them to wait. I don't want to crash us coming in."

"Whatever pleases you, Ivara." Titania, one of the Earth guardians and responsible for a large portion of its vast forests. Also responsible for a begrudgingly approved leave and benefactor of this journey.

Piloting the Liset was actually far easier than expected, if only for the first portion of the journey. Preset protocols included activating anti-heat shields and adjusting flight patterns to bring it into the upper atmosphere. This part always remained the same no matter which planet (or moon) they chose. The huntress tapped a few buttons before taking a hold of the controls herself – nothing more than a holographic projection digitally connected to the fine-tuned mechanics of the ship itself. It gave the driver full control, which she had no problems with given her mission records. You could give a wrench to a MOA to bash against something and that was harder than bringing the craft to a gentle landing.

Of course, if they planned to leave the Liset on a normal docking platform and not somewhere in the middle of the Void-forsaken forests.

Ivara spotted a clearing in the middle of the tangled forests below. _Far enough from prying eyes… it'll have to do._ She pulled the ship into a hover and with a careful hand managed to land with only the smallest of bumps. The woman switched off the engines and stood up only to find a pair of slender arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. "You've brought us close, thank you Ivara."

Her ire grew along with the heat in her face when Titania kissed her cheek. "Would you please get off me? We're here now."

Not a second after the ramp dropped did the forest guardian vanish from sight. Ivara rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the ship to pick up her gear. Even though they had a low chance of running into stray patrols, she felt safer with her basic arsenal. She strapped _Quiver_ – a strange contraption holding several half-fletched arrows – to her arm and belted a full, regular quiver of regal-looking arrows at her hip. _Artemis Bow_ proved better equipped to dispatch targets but for the purpose of energy conservation and not needing it out here, Daikyu fulfilled that role perfectly. She slotted a few deadly looking blades in the casing on her other thigh and a dagger to her boot. Okay, maybe she was being extra safe and too careful for a supposedly 'safe' trip.

The muggy air hit her like a charging Juggernaut. Despite growing accustomed to it on her hunts it took a few seconds to adjust from the cool, clean cabin air. It was quiet, not the kind that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up but the kind of quiet she enjoyed when alone. Her travelling companion wasn't too far away – her razorwings were a dead giveaway – and Ivara found her hanging upside down from a branch. Hair as vibrant as cadenzas swayed with the breeze and electric blue eyes bore mischievously into her dim cyan ones. Ivara kept her eyes focused on her face instead of trailing higher to the jewel situated between two perfect swells. "You looked prepared for a war, huntress."

She quirked an eyebrow. The pixie (well, currently in humanoid form) wore nothing more than a simple, collared tunic with a V dropping down to her navel, skin-tight pants that left just enough to the imagination, and leather boots that actually looked like the most practical out of her entire ensemble. Compared to Ivara's mini-arsenal, Titania danced around with not a single weapon in sight. Honestly she didn't need anything if she already had weapons at her disposal; the deceptive, glowing creatures fluttered idly and a couple actually landed on the huntress' arm.

The huntress shook her head as if warding off intrusive thoughts - old observation habits were starting to get to her. "I'm always prepared. This is the bare necessities."

The pixie gave her a reassuring smirk. It was unfavorably attractive and Ivara knew without a doubt Titania had ulterior motives bringing her here. "You are in my domain, you need not worry."

Still, she didn't cave in to this _one_ instance of indulgence. "I'm just here to be sure you return safely."

The woman folded her arms over her chest and frowned deeply. The razorwings buzzed a little more in Ivara's ears. "I am a guardian of this forest. I need no protection."

"I'm well aware." With the way Titania carried herself among the flora, it was hard to imagine her anything but _that_. "I don't want to have Commander Arans-Oxford hide me if something did happen, since you asked for me to accompany you here and not the other way around. Not that I had any intentions of letting it happen in the first place."

Heat suffused her cheeks without her approval when the taller woman drawled in a plethora of cute noises and slung her arms across her shoulders. Ivara looked away pointedly but knew without a doubt her current companion enjoyed her embarrassment. "Aw, is little, grumpy you worried about me getting hurt? I'm actually quite flattered."

Ivara was a mistress of the hunt, a title no one else held for good reason. But when compared to what Titania did to dedicate herself to the forest – suddenly her esteemed pride felt smaller than a kuaka's claw despite the compliment. She closed her eyes briefly to regain control of her composure and give her face enough time to cool off. "What are you looking for here anyway?"

"A particularly rare strain of a flower." She watched in mild disbelief as Titania peeled away and vaulted herself into a perfect arc up to a nearby tree. "You're serious."

"I am." The deadpan tone was about as humorless as Titania could get, which was actually impressive given her lighthearted personality most of the time.

Ivara pinched the bridge of her nose at the steadily growing headache between her eyes. A part of her was a bit miffed they were here for one particular thing, and a larger part wondered what exactly it was about this particular plant that warranted time off to search for. "Okay, so you're telling me we asked the Commander for a full two days off, _specifically_ for a trip to Earth in some god-forsaken remote location that isn't even mapped throughout history…To. Look. For. A. Flower."

"Is there any difference when spending time lounging in the recreational rooms or polishing weapons on breaks? Everyone has different priorities, mine simply happen to be with Earth-related activities. So yes, it is to look for a 'flower.'"

"I suppose not." Ivara could feel them teeter on the edge of a dangerous line, one she had no intentions of crossing intentionally lest she feel the wrath of the pixie. And as far as she knew, it would not be a pleasant experience. "Why couldn't we do something else like go on a hunt? I feel like they would be at least a little more enjoyable for the both of us."

The pixie scowled and came an inch of the huntress' personal space. Titania made no effort to hide her annoyance. "Are we not here on my terms?"

Ivara frowned visibly, arms crossed over her chest. "We are, but wasn't it you who said I needed a break? I prefer hunting for game, not for plants." Which was a complete lie in itself; the huntress knew for a fact the forests and its inhabitants were one and the same - an enticing flower was about as deadly as a mother kubrow looking for her missing pups. And though she never voiced it, every expedition they came on together to Earth always brought new knowledge she soaked up like a sponge.

Of course Ivara had learned long ago how to keep a good poker face, so Titania was none the wiser in assuming the truth despite her age and the huntress knew she struck a raw nerve.

"Is that what you really believe, _huntress_? I was under the impression you were a clever, smart woman, but perhaps I was wrong." Before she could reply, the guardian flew off and blew a burst of orange magic into her face. She coughed on the surge of – quite literally – pixie dust and waved her hand to dispel some of it.

Regret filled her stomach. She hadn't mean to upset Titania – the forests around herself resonated with the pixie's anger and she felt the air grow thick with hostility. From agreeing to shepherd the woman to Earth and accompanying her when even Oberon wouldn't, she though she did enough a favor for her. Ivara wiped her face with a hand to clear her mind. It would do no good to dwell on such thoughts and she cast _Prowl_. It wouldn't do much to actually keep her safe from the trees itself since she was the only 'foreign' presence but if it gave her some measure of comfort, then she'd hide herself in her illusions.

Ivara gave the Liset a longing glance, the last place of sanctuary she could have taken, before slinking off to track down the pixie against her better judgement.

* * *

Most of the last two days consisted of trekking across canyons and rivers through the thickest and densest parts of the forest. At one point she considered turning back to send a message back to her commander about a possible extension on their break, but the longer she went without seeing the pixie the worse her anxieties got. Ivara spent a good portion of her trek keeping track of the traces Titania left behind, which proved near-impossible when the woman was capable of _flying_. It was a miracle she even managed this far - she thanked her experience with tracking kubrodons on Orb Vallis. Ivara paused at a particularly large trunk and set down the large condroc slung across her back. The pesky bird nipped at her feet when she stopped to rest one time and without a second thought slew the beast before it could so much as let out another squawk. Titania was still nowhere in sight and she let out a long, tired sigh. Tracking like this usually meant a few day's travel, but Ivara probably covered more ground in two days than she could have in a week's time.

The huntress collapsed on her rear and leaned carefully against the hard, gnarled surface. Long ago she abandoned staying in _Prowl_ and simply traveled as she normally would. This far out she wouldn't encounter any Grineer and it was better to conserve her energy reserves for other situations. When was the last time she exhausted herself to the point of losing concentration? Perhaps in her earlier days when she was keen on learning the ways of the hunt.

Ivara's shoulder stung at the painful reminder of missing a hold while scaling a cliff side. Times like those she wished the damned woman couldn't fly. Thankfully she didn't fall to her demise, but being thrown back into a jagged surface wasn't a pleasant experience, especially when the sharp edge cut deep enough in her skin to cause some worry.

A familiar buzz filled her ears and she glanced about herself. Glowing eyes scanned the surroundings when she noted a solitary razorwing flying aimlessly in the air. She pulled her lower lip in a quiet whistle, high pitched enough to the frequency she knew the creatures would recognize. Immediately the razorwing changed its path and it zipped around her excitedly like a kubrow seeing its owner after days away.

The thought warmed her heart.

"Heya," she whispered, letting the razorwing land on her outstretched hand. She knew this one, Kalani, and it fluttered its wings in response. "You hungry?"

She gestured to the tied up, dead condroc and it landed on its body. Kalani didn't seem terribly interested as it came back up and landed on her arm instead. "Know where your owner is?" It flew back into the air, flying off in one direction and hovered as if to wait for her to follow along. Seemed her small break was already at its end. Ivara grunted and lifted the condroc back over her good shoulder and trudged along. The trees grew thicker here, enough to block out the sunlight completely and she found herself relying on the myriad of plants around herself to guide the way. Mushrooms she'd never seen before sprung up at the base of the trees and the flowers glowed like fireflies. The razorwing disappeared through a narrow crevice in the rocks nearby, and the huntress followed it through.

Cool air enveloped her. It was a tight fit, one she could barely make sideways. It forced her to carry her meager gear and bounty in her hands. The passage wall to her back scrapped at the wound and she hissed quietly – it was undoubtedly infected thanks to her negligence, but it remained low on her current priority list. Slowly but surely the path widened and Ivara could walk normally. They came to a large, wide cavern, vines above weaved together tightly enough to form the protective alcove yet loose enough to let the last rays of the day filter through. She watched Kelani fly off to the solitary figure in the middle of the spring at the other end of the room. The space itself was gorgeous beyond words – wildly vivid colors from bright blues to shining teals emanated from the surface of plants she never saw before. Water trickled in from an unknown source and echoed in the cavern with soft splashing. Even the spring itself seemed to glow with unbridled magic.

Still, this paled in comparison to the beauty at the center of it all.

The huntress' breath caught when Titania glanced in her direction. She was as bare as her first day in this world and thankfully remained mostly submerged. Ivara kept her eyes averted, dropping her cargo close to the water line, but not enough for the blood to stain crystal clear water.

"Kelani told me you brought a gift for my razorwings?" She took a seat on a nearby rock, setting her extra gear down before beginning the process of unstrapping whatever weapons weren't still attached. She figured this was Titania's intended destination.

"Wasn't sure if they preferred bird or rats. I figured it wouldn't matter either way. Sorry if it isn't fresh, I killed it yesterday." Ivara watched as Titania's weapons buzzed over the kill excitedly, tearing into its flesh like a hungry pack of wolves.

"You even took the feathers off." Her voice sounded closer, echoing like an ethereal presence.

The huntress shrugged. "Standard practice." She winced and let out a quiet, pained groan when she twisted her arm to get her hood off. The wound had gone from a dull ache to full-blown pain no matter how much she tried to avoid overdoing it. Any other injury she could take care of in an instant but the ones on her back always suffered the worst of care unless Trinity was around. The sound of water swishing and soft footsteps kept her gaze courteous, but a gentle hand brought her to look Titania dead in her eyes. "…..you're hurt."

She fought off the urge to roll her eyes, instead remaining mostly indifferent or as much as her pain would let her. "It's a small wound."

" _Lies._ " The accusatory hiss sent a fresh wave of guilt through her stomach. She didn't stop the hand going up to her forehead and the frown on the other woman's face deepened. "You're feverish. Let me see it."

"I'll be fine." She jerked her arm away from Titania's hand, only to instantly regret it in the next moment. She refused to make a sound, the muscles in her neck tightening to keep her voice under control. Pride was her strength and her pitfall. Ivara found herself staring up at the woman who began hovering a few inches off the ground. From this angle, she really did look like a proper, regal queen of the forests, with the way her razorwings perched on her arms like a crown inlaid with gems.

"Ivara, I'm not asking. I need to see it."

Ivara scowled, blue eyes glazed over but still determined and fierce as ever. Could she, for one second, stop being such a stubborn woman? "I said I'm fine."

The air hummed with magic and she had the sensibility to flinch when a perfectly manicured hand cupped her chin a little more fiercely than she anticipated. A bolt of heat rushed to her core but it dimmed when her back pulsed and throbbed - she couldn't ignore it anymore. " _Ivara._ "

The huntress was a woman who prided herself on being the mistress in the shadows. But when the forest guardian commanded her so, she felt her willpower crumble as easily as Gara shattering her _Mass Vitrify_. She stood defiantly for a few seconds more before shoulders sagged and she broke eye contact with Titania. "Be careful." Her voice finally cracked – weak, husked, exhausted. Everything she didn't embody normally all in two words.

Dexterous hands wasted no time in gently prying her hoodie off but her shirt needed to be cut open to bare her back. Titania hadn't been kind to her precious article of clothing when the sounds of fabric filled the air - damn it, she went through a lot of trouble to get that. It was a special shirt she had embroidered with the conservation emblem from The Business on Fortuna. The crisp air kissed her skin but did little to soothe the blistering pain. "It's – what hit you?"

The questions, all the _Hunhow-damned questions_. "I slipped."

Titania came around and gave her a skeptical look. Ivara stared at her blankly. "I'm as serious as you looking for your flower. I miscalculated a hold." Was it just her or did the air feel warmer now?

"You are a skilled and cautious woman, Ivara. Mistakes are not in your arsenal. What would cause you to lose your focus?" Her stomach turned uncomfortably as a lump settled in her throat. Admitting her feelings equated to giving into the enemy, something Ivara swore to never do as long as she lived. But the thought of upsetting Titania had settled on her mind so heavily it affected her better judgement and resulted in the convoluted mess she put herself in. And it only happened when said pixie was involved.

"Huntress, answer me."

 _I can't. Not directly at least_.

"You are being ridiculous. Fine, we'll play your guessing game." How ironic. "Was there an Eidolon?"

"No, you and I both know I am capable of handling it without breaking a sweat."

"Did you forget something back at the ship?"

"I wouldn't be here so quickly."

"Had a patrol wandered in the area and ambushed you?"

Her head spun. When did standing become so difficult? "I _Prowled_ my way through here. And you of all people would know if there are intruders"

" _Ivara_. Enough of this. Tell me what happened." Said woman was tired of this – tired of the endless questions and accusations like she committed a heinous crime. She hated standing there being indirectly chastised like a child for a ridiculous thing as a scratch. She finally snapped, and the fury resulting after spoke volumes of her conditions.

"I felt worse than a pile of kubrodon shit for making you upset, alright?!"

The cavern fell silent, as if shocked by the very notion that Ivara, a tough but soft-voiced woman, was capable of commanding roaring armies in a single line. Titania retracted her hand from the huntress, fearful any more contact could provoke a worse response. "It's been eating at me all Orokin-damned day and I'm tired of it. That's why I brought the condroc, because I wanted to make amends. That's why my shoulder is busted, because I'm so sick to my stomach I can't think." Ivara _hated_ doing this. She hated every time she exposed herself to the pixie that it made her irrational and feel out of her own skin. It just wasn't _her_.

Ivara leaned forward on her knees, breaking out in a cold sweat as she finally succumbed to her ailments. She'd never felt so drained in her life and wanted nothing more than her bed aboard the Orbiter. Even the Liset sounded more welcoming than here.

"….huntress." Ivara didn't budge when Titania called for her and tugged at her arm. "Ivara, please."

She shook her head and attempted to shut out the headache pounding in her head. "Leave me alone for crying out loud, its cold."

"Don't go anywhere." Not like she had anywhere to go to begin with.

* * *

Titania zipped through the tree line, tapping into her connection with nature to seek out the herbs she needed. _Ivara_ needed. She'd been upset with the huntress, yes, but due to her stubbornly pragmatic ways. When the pixie took off, she figured Ivara was capable enough to track her down and keep up but after two days and just now seeing her, it never struck her something went gone wrong. Her razorwings spread out in a fan when they approached an area she knew intimately when Oberon came to her with injured beasts.

She didn't even know if it would work for the woman she left back at the cavern…

 _The forest guardian struggled to carry Ivara over to one of the large mushrooms instead of laying her on the bumpy ground. She fell unconscious shaking and sweating as the fever completely overtook her. Titania never saw Ivara visit the medical ward for flu medication, or even show signs of illness in the time she knew her. She became a pillar of sorts for the pixie, putting up with her silliness and whims, indulged in her temptations and desires, but never once let herself fall into poor health._

 _Her mind broke when she heard soft whimpers slipping from Ivara's lips. Each one stabbed her in the stomach far worse than Ash's Bladestorm, twisting her gut until she refused to sit by and watch her break the fever on her own._

 _She was sick, terribly sick and still tried to be strong. Even now the huntress remained curled up as small as possible as if to keep herself from being an inconvenience to Titania. What did she do to deserve such devotion?_

"Thank you…." Titania whispered her gratitude – would have shouted and jumped for joy if not for the lump lodged in her throat – and collected the precious medicines in her hands when the razorwings brought them over. She gathered in her arms a myriad of plants, fruits, and herbs all of which with no actual names but she knew their properties for conditions similar to Ivara's situation. The flight back to the cavern felt like an eternity, but within minutes of returning had a salve ground and prepared. The huntress was deathly pale with clammy skin; the wound needed to be cleaned.

Using the upturned side of a modest sized mushroom cap, the pixie scooped up some of the water from the spring and carved out a bit of nearby moss to bring to the archer's side. Ivara was half-conscious, watching Titania move around with glazed eyes and tried to sit up when she approached. Titania pressed her hand firmly on the small of her back and forced her back down on her front. "Rest."

Like a loyal servant obeying their queen, she stilled and closed her eyes. Seeing Ivara so compliant and submissive made her stomach churn.

"This is going to hurt huntress." Titania soaked the moss to wipe the wound clean, trying to be as careful and quickly as possible when Ivara seized up. It was worse, far worse than she led on and yet remained silent through the entire ordeal. When every trace of dried blood, and anything that looked remotely close to bringing further infection, disappeared, she applied a generous amount of the multicolored paste over her back and massaged the area around the wound to encourage absorption and healing. She picked the cleanest moss to serve as a makeshift bandage, applying them before finally letting Ivara be.

She still looked worse for the wear, but better than an hour ago. A little bit of color returned to her cheeks and her eyes looked less hazy than before. The forest guardian pulled a weak smile when Ivara reached out. Titania held the huntress' hand in her own, bringing them up to place feather light kisses to each knuckle. Her voice was hoarse, wrought with sleep thanks to the salve. "Thank you Titania…"

"Sleep, Ivara. Sleep." Titania combed her fingers through silver locks, coaxing her huntress into the welcoming arms of unconsciousness. While it was strange for her to care for another person, it came to easy and naturally with Ivara like she had done it all her life. She wanted to share her joyous discovery, to surprise Ivara and point out the trip was worth the trouble getting here. But when her eyes alighted on the woman next to her, a rueful smile crossed her features. It felt far less significant when her favorite person laid by her side completely incapacitated. Even worse so when she realized she had been the source of the huntress' injuries and tumultuous thoughts.

 _She really does love me… even if she, and I, are blind to it_. For once in her life, Titania regretted letting her emotions flow so freely. Had it not, Ivara wouldn't be here suffering so much.

* * *

Dim eyes fluttered open. The first thing to come into focus was Titania's troubled expression – eyes squeezed shut and breath light. The next were their hands brushed together. No matter how hard she tried to piece her memories together, everything remained a heavy fog and rather than fight it, she let herself rest against….whatever it was underneath her. All she remembered was arriving in some kind of cavern and her back in pain –

Ivara took a deep breath slowly, surprised by the lack of pain across her back. She flexed her shoulders carefully only to find nothing out of the norm and took advantage of a moment to sit up. They were on some kind of broad plant with ferns serving as makeshift bedding. She reached back and carefully touched her wound covered in some kind of soft, squishy material. Had Titania taken care of her? The telltale wispy, white light dancing across the floor said night, so how long was she out?

The figure at her side stirred, shifting in her sleep and murmuring in discomfort. Instinct prompted her to take one of the pixie's hands and rub soothing circles on the back of it – a habit she picked up whenever Titania found herself in Ivara's quarters and stealing her bed for sleep. Something about it being softer than her own, though the huntress knew it was because it belonged to her.

"Ivara?" Blue orbs fluttered open, confusion written across her face. "Ivara…!" This time more ecstatic when it finally sunk in. Ivara nearly fell off their perch when Titania threw herself at the archer, arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders and face buried in her neck. "You're awake. Thank the Lotus."

"…..how long was I asleep?"

"A couple of days. Your fever finally broke hours ago." Titania sat back on her knees and heels, but lingered close. Ivara wanted nothing more than to kiss and wipe clean the flash of guilt across delicate features. "I'm… I was worried."

"You have every right to blame me. Had I not been so careless, you wouldn't have to go out of your way to take care of me."

Ivara met Titania's gaze with remorse, but Titania spoke up before she could. "It's not your fault. We both made mistakes. I would never blame you, and…" She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking away shyly.

"-you know I won't as well." 'Sorry' didn't fit in either of their vocabularies. Forgiveness was something Ivara rarely gave except to the few she felt deserved it, and the indirect admission of such was enough to make Titania's stomach flip-flop and fill with butterflies more excited than her razorwings. She beamed, bright enough to pull a small, although resigned, smile from the huntress. "I took some time to fly back to where the Liset is and radioed back to command. Commander Arans-Oxford wasn't pleased, but she said to take however much time necessary for you to make a full recovery before we return. She also wants a full physical to be sure you're well."

Ivara flexed her muscles and twisted and turned to test her body. It took all of Titania's willpower not to stare shamelessly especially since the woman had just recovered from a potential, life-threatening injury. "I feel fine."

"I used a small variety of plants with basic chemical properties to stop bleeding, encourage healing, break fevers, and numb pain. I've had to reapply it every few hours to ensure max efficacy." She leaned in to press a soft kiss to the corner of Ivara's lips before she could open her mouth and protest. "No, you were not a burden. I wanted to be extra careful. I prefer my favorite person well and whole." When the huntress' cheeks colored and she didn't protest, Titania fought off the urge to steal another kiss.

"It's weird." The forest guardian blinked in confusion. "I mean, being taken care of. I'm… not used to it."

"Is it a bad thing?"

Ivara shook her head. "No, not at all." Cyan eyes looked away, hand running through her hair. "I don't mind it if it's you. Trin's okay, but she's all business. With you, I feel like it means a lot more."

Titania raised an eyebrow at the huntress. Why wouldn't it be? "For now, just simply relax and let the medicine work its magic."

* * *

Ivara watched as a svelte form jackknifed through the water gracefully. It turned out Titania's affinity for flying translated well to swimming, a trait she envied deeply. The following days they spent making sure her wound healed properly and in turn it forced her to lay on her stomach so she wouldn't aggravate it. The pixie refused to leave her side except to hunt down sustenance, most of which comprised of fruits to supplement whatever provisions the huntress originally brought. Despite the rough start the entire affair did feel more vacation-like than she expected. The quiet splashing allowed Ivara to doze off for a few moments until the sound of Titania's footsteps caught her ears. "I've never seen you so at ease, huntress."

The white-haired woman maintained a carefully neutral expression when she peeled open her eyes. "I have nothing else to do but lay here." She almost missed the mischievous glint in her companion's eyes.

"I can think of a few other possibilities…" Ivara swallowed thickly at the sultry tone, her body heating pliantly to her voice. The only one who was capable of tempting her.

"Titania, _no_." Damn the shaky hesitation in her voice! Ivara's breath caught when the woman loomed closer still and cupped her cheeks, lips parted tantalizingly enough to make her want to sample a taste. She knew exactly where this would go if she caved in and debated whether or not it would be worth possibly reopening her wound. "Didn't you say yourself I needed to rest?"

Titania completely ignored her when soft lips grazed her own, the sweetness coating them prompting Ivara's tongue to dart out and swipe a quick taste. She suspected the extra affection and 'pampering' had been to coax her into a more reasonable mindset, which worked unfortunately. Titania knew how to have her way, and the huntress obliged more often than not. "You won't need to move… _much_."

Given their current height differences, Ivara hardly had to move an inch when the pixie closed the gap and meshed their lips together. She was sweeter than a ripe fruit and more fragrant than a flower in full bloom. Every time she surprised the huntress with a kiss, it left Ivara's nerves tingling and fingers itching to hold her in place. Most times her desires warred with her morality. Titania reassured her that her and Oberon, while protectors of the Earth from hostile forces, were not predestined or slated to be together. She even enlisted Saryn, a fellow warrior against the slew of infested creatures that broke out from Grineer containment on Earth, to convince her there were no romantic interested between herself and the fae king. They were all there to uphold their oath and duties.

This time was not one of those self-doubting moments. She wanted the pixie, both in mind and body.

Little did Ivara know, she was Titania's present and secret weakness. How could she resist such a confident figure? What she lacked in social grace spoke volumes when she hunted, and it made the pixie salivate from the power coiled up neatly in such a convenient form. No one understood her kindness and thoughtfulness, and she – to some extent only Titania could sense – craved the physical and spiritual connection often deprived from people who practiced her craft. Unwittingly, Ivara spoiled her with more attention than she ever asked for, let her do what she wanted without complaining (much), and worried about her well-being more than her own. Titania rarely showed her appreciation of that companionship.

" _Lift your hips_."

Ivara felt her cheeks flush and it spread like wildfire across her skin. The command sent little jolts of electricity down her spine in a way she didn't know before. She wasn't sure if it was simply the magic in the air, the unknown herbal medicine in her bloodstream, or simply the husk in the pixie's voice that compelled her so. She pulled her legs close underneath herself when Titania disappeared from her sight. Deceptively dainty fingers dug into her hips while silky legs gently nudged her thighs apart and warmth settled between them. With how much privacy they had, the huntress felt comfortable remaining nude and it wasn't until now she became hyper aware of that fact. It was easier for the pixie to indulge in the sinful succulence that was the white-haired woman. Slender digits traced sensitive flesh at the apex, stroking an already burning flame into a scorching inferno no one else could douse but the woman pervading every inch of her mental space.

Ivara bit her lower lip when Titania dragged a solitary finger down the length of her slit, breath catching in her throat when it circled a swollen clit in painfully slow laps. Her muscles burned with need when another finger slid between wet lips, adding pressure but never pushing past to where she needed it most. She was putty in her hands, content with being her prey and her body responded to the advances with that clear message. Why was she so receptive now of all times? Perhaps all the extra attention and the lack of any threats left her little to do but find somethings else exciting to fill the peace.

"What did you - _ah!_ \- do to me?" More pressure built between her thighs the longer her partner denied her relief and she fought off the desire to clasp them shut or else squeeze Titania to death between them. The slim form of her lover pressed against her back - mindful of the injury - and teeth sank into the crook of her neck to draw out a low groan from the huntress. Pain wasn't something she enjoyed, but Titania knew how to mix it well with the pleasure. "That flower I sought… It's nectar is rumored to be the sweetest, but also a power aphrodisiac. I was curious as to its effects."

Well, it certainly worked because Ivara didn't mind having the queen of the forests lord over her poor body now.

Titania's head spun from how submissive Ivara became under her touch. It fueled her own desire and she trailed kisses back down to strong thighs, canines scratching smooth skin and earning a soft sigh of approval. " _Ivarrra_ …." The effect was instantaneous – the huntress let out a not-so-quiet whimper at the sensual roll of her name. It was a sound the pixie craved to hear more of, to fill the air with nothing but her pleasure. Her eyes flared with magic, rationality fighting her primal instincts to feast on her prey.

"I want to hear you, huntress."

Ivara bit her hand when Titania finally slid her finger into velvety depths and shuddered at whatever the pixie muttered in her native tongue (probably curses of some sort). Her impatience won out over her control and she tried to rock back against that hand only to find it stilled completely.

"Do not move."

Frustratingly so, Ivara _complied_. She was rewarded with not just one finger, but two stretching her walls out just enough to have moans clawing her throat. She withheld giving the pixie the satisfaction of her vocalization and Titania responded in kind by seeking out the very thing that would make her snap. Every thrust, every kiss, every second that rolled on drove the huntress closer and closer to the edge of a yawning abyss threatening to swallow her entirety with mind-numbing pleasure. Her lover worked her into a messy pile of flesh, bones, and raw lust that left her sweating from head to toe.

Ivara's mind went pleasantly blank when a _third_ finger was added.

She seized up when they spread apart just enough to make her feel absolutely full.

" _Come for me, Ivara_ …"

A guttural, high-pitched moan ripped her throat apart when Titania added her tongue to the mix, sucking on her clit with the _perfect_ amount of pressure to shatter her world into a brilliance of light and stars.

* * *

Titania purred and yowled like a kavat when Ivara's hand threaded through her hair. Her body ached in a way nothing they did previously could compare and she hummed her approval to the delicious soreness between her thighs. They curled up comfortably in their small nest and as much as she hated it, they dressed to keep themselves warm since the alcove didn't provide anything in regards to heat retention. Cuddling with the huntress was all that mattered – there was something comforting and reassuring about their bodies intertwined as tightly as the vines above them. "I prefer you like this so much more, Ivara." The huntress' chest rumbled with quiet laughter.

That was such a pleasant sound, like the harmonious cacophony of the forests' creatures in the morning.

"I spoil you far too much." Titania craned her head up to meet those magical eyes. Ivara quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're actually really pretty up close." Pink tinted her cheeks and the huntress scowled, looking away nervously.

"Why do you keep saying such things Titania?"

The pixie giggled, wrapping her arms loosely around a slim waist instead of answering the question. She buried her face in the crook of Ivara's neck and kissed the tanned column of flesh idly. Why was it that now she felt so… attached, possessive, and even in more love with the huntress? Was it an aftereffect of the flower's nectar? Perhaps it was the fact possibly losing the one thing she cherished so much made her all the more appreciative of the time she spent with Ivara.

"Stay with me." The white-haired woman blinked in confusion, uncertain of what the pixie implied. "I meant it beyond just being my lover. You are more than just that to me, huntress."

She remained thoughtfully quiet, as Titania waited with bated breath. "Are you-"

"I am."

A longer stretch of silence followed. The pixie propped herself up on her elbows on either side of Ivara. She hovered just above her lips and steeled her gaze. "It is not a light proposition, nor can I guarantee your safety but I feel more ill without you by my side. Would you still consider it…?"

Conflict flashed through her eyes, Titania could see it and she felt selfish for asking so suddenly. But she needed to know and wouldn't be satisfied until she had her answer, even if she had to wrench it from her in the most painful way possible. Ivara was independent, self-reliant, and a terrifying force to be reckoned with. When it came to stealth, Loki held the title of being the fastest while Ash sought his targets with swift, pinpoint accuracy. But the huntress had droves of patience and could spend any amount of time behind enemy lines without being detected once. She moved seamlessly through the ranks of troops and stole precious data from right under the noses, or put them to sleep before cleanly disposing them in a more permanent fashion without leaving behind a trace.

Titania couldn't see anyone else being a more perfect fit for herself.

Finally, she replied quite simply. "I already come to Earth quite often. It would only be fitting." The pixie's heart soared. "As long as Oberon and Saryn permit it."

She waved it off, kissing Ivara fully on the lips. Chaste yet still full of affection. "If I am capable of accepting Nekros with Oberon and Nova with Saryn, I'm certain you make the most sense."

Ivara almost knocked her out bolting upright. "Wait, Nekros? And Nova?"

"Does it surprise you that much?"

The huntress gave her a deadpan look. "Yes, it does actually. I may have suspected Nekros, but Nova…"

Titania simply smiled and shrugged. "You understand where I come from then."

Saryn was their neuro-toxin specialist, a haughty and confident woman with a tough exterior to stand up to. Nova was a molecular expert - she could manipulate their enemies with a tuning fork if she wanted but she was graceful, quiet and shy. Curiosity baited her into how the pair even worked together, but Titania's presence at her side kept them for another rainy day. Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

* * *

When she took one step onto the ramp leading back up into the Liset, a loud explosion caught her attention from behind. She recognized that noise belonging to Grineer troop ships deploying their cargo and she glanced up into the cockpit of the ship. No doubt Titania heard it as well and she came down to meet her. "I'll check."

" _No_."

The firmness in Ivara's voice stopped her dead cold. The huntress drew a single arrow from the quiver at her hip, infusing it with magic and notching it expertly. She drew it back, aimed high in the sky before firing and letting her mind go with the arrow. Once she had control, she kept it on a steady flight above the canopy. She passed several smaller ships and a Bulkor, frowning when the arrow embedded itself in the hull of one of them and the impact sent her reeling back into her mind. Normally she would just let go, but the potential number of soldiers they carried had her a bit stunned. Why were they in this part of the forests? This was far from any permanent post or encampment unless –

" _They know_ ," Titania hissed lowly as the surroundings resonated with her ire. Ivara suspected she did a little recon of her own, and somehow the both of them hadn't gone entirely undetected. She placed a hand on her shoulder, lips pulled in a thin line. Parts of her started vanishing into transparency. Titania bared her fangs, magic coiling in her hands. She was about to show them why she was known as the guardian of the forests, and why size didn't matter. "We hunt?"

Ivara nodded once before disappearing into Prowl. "Of course, my Queen." The little term of endearment made Titania's heart flutter.

" _We_ hunt."

* * *

 **A/N** : I know I already put a note at the top, but here's another one anyway! I hope you all enjoyed that - this is actually the second of many Warframe fics I've written so far, but it's the only one I felt was most complete and accurate. Comments and reviews are appreciated, I look forward to hearing them! ^_^

And god knows we need some more stories in this category. Hopefully I can help.


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